Thursday, October 19, 2017Historical Films and Documentaries Brought to you by:

NOTE: Our rating system is only a suggestion made by SIFF staff to help families make the best decision about which films they should watch. All films are officially unrated. Please familiarize yourself with the programming before sending your children to the theater for SIFF2017.

A selection of history class video projects from Sanford High School students.

3:30PMRespectfully, Tony(12 minutes)United States (ages 13+)

A convicted murderer re-enters society after spending 12 years on death row and 39 years in prison.

​Directed by John Haley and Julia Szromba.

3:45PMNature Matters(40 minutes)United States (all ages)

Over the course of one summer, ten teenage digital natives find themselves at the crossroads of art and science as they hike local and regional trails, clean a polluted city creek, and travel 2,000 miles to spend a week in Yellowstone National Park. These resilient ambassadors discover their sense of place within interconnected ecosystems across the country. As a result, they become environmental stewards and advocates for the natural world.

​Directed by Dr. Barbara Ann Temple.

*Filmmakers plan to be in attendance.

4:30PMHeart Sisters(20 minutes)Sweden (ages 13+)

A documentary about women's shared experiences and thoughts about living in male-dominated societies.

​Directed by Kajsa Olsson.

4:50PMLong Yearning(24 minutes)Australia (all ages)

A cinematic exploration of the lives of Chinese factory workers and the nature of repetitive industrialized work. The film is intermixed with written excerpts of traditional Chinese poetry, creating a surreal bridge between modern and ancient China.

Two friends stumble upon the holy grail of movie memorabilia in the most unlikely of places.

​Directed by Adam Roffman.

5:30PMNobody Dies Here(23 minutes)France (all ages)

Sandwiched between Togo and Nigeria, Benin is a narrow West African nation whose motto is “Fraternity, Justice, Labor.” It is also the birthplace of voodoo. In a small gold mine near the coast, men find their livelihood, some die in its pursuit, and some say, “Nobody dies here.”

Directed by Simon Panay.

​Nominated for Best Documentary.

6:00PMForgive-Don't Forget(71 minutes)United States (all ages)

During Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, numerous swords were confiscated by American officers. To better understand the past and build a bridge between cultures in the present, a filmmaker attempts to return one of these surrendered swords to its original owner.

Raised in Sanford during the closing of the mills. On the FBI Ten Most Wanted List in 1977 for his involvement in the United Freedom Front bombings. Arrested in 1984.

From his prison cell in 1992, Raymond Luc Levasseur writes "My Blood is Quebecois," in which he explains how his radicalization and rebellion was influenced by his status as a "frog" and the racism he witnessed growing up. Released from prison in 2004, he returned to his native Maine, where he discusses his childhood in a French Canadian family, his revolutionary activism, and his life today.

Directed by Pierre Marier.

Nominated for Best Documentary, Best Maine Film, and Best Feature Film.

Goodall Mills was a family-owned textile mill in Sanford that operated from 1867 to 1955. We present excerpts from vintage promotional films made for the mills, courtesy of Northeast Historic Film.

8:00PMThe Town that Refused to Die(60 minutes)United States (all ages)

In 1955, America tuned into this NBC Armstrong Circle Theatre production about Carl Broggi and the Town of Sanford's remarkable comeback. While many thought the town would simply disappear after the Goodall Mills closed, a dedicated group of citizens helped save it.

This TV dramatization of our hometown's story stars Darren McGavin, who famously portrayed both "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" and the father in "A Christmas Story." The program features great vintage footage of 1950's Sanford, Maine.

Due to contractual agreements, the Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum is the only place that this rare historic film can be shown in public. Don't miss this special screening!

9:00PM​Lucid Skis Presents:The Town that Moved a Mountain(46 minutes)United States - MAINE (all ages)

In the late 1950s a group of ski enthusiasts in Maine built a ski area on Spruce Mountain in North Jay -- they cleared trails, bought and installed a rope tow, built a warm-up hut, and sold tickets. It was a great little slope, and lots of people came to ski, but it turned out that access to the area was difficult, so after two short seasons they decided to move the entire operation to a hilly cow pasture, closer to town. They even moved the name of the area -- Spruce Mountain in North Jay was still Spruce Mountain, but the new ski area was also called Spruce Mountain. Interestingly, today most people in the towns of Livermore Falls and Jay don't know that the original Spruce Mountain exists, even though it's the only actual mountain in the two towns.

More than just a quirky tale of memories lost, this is a story of how three rope tows and the dedication of a group of volunteers brought together a community and made a positive impact that carries on to this day.